Strategy, Policy, and Research Intern (Remote)

Department: Social Impact

Duration: August - December 2024

Reporting to: Associate Director, Policy Advocacy

Location: Remote (Candidates based in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Nova Scotia or willing to relocate)

Weekly hours: Part-time, 20 hours a week max with flexible working options

Rate of Pay: $24 per hour

Application deadline: Reviewing applications on a rolling basis until May 22, 2024

World Education Services needs fresh and diverse insights to support its mission of advancing global mobility and integration of people into academic and professional settings.

About WES

World Education Services (WES) is a non-profit social enterprise dedicated to helping international students, immigrants, and refugees achieve their educational and career goals in the United States and Canada. For more than 45 years, WES has set the standard of excellence in the field of international academic credential evaluation. Through WES Global Talent Bridge, the organization joins with institutional partners, community-based organizations, and policymakers to help immigrants and refugees who hold international credentials fully utilize their talents and education to achieve their academic and professional goals. Through its grantmaking, impact investing, and partnerships, the WES Mariam Assefa Fund seeks to advance economic and social inclusion for immigrants and refugees. For more information about WES, please visit our website at www.WES.org

The WES Internship Program:

We are looking for an Intern, Strategy, Policy, & Research (SPR), to support ongoing work of the Strategy, Policy, & Research team within the Social Impact Division of World Education Services. As the SPR intern, you will contribute on a range of issues impacting immigrants, refugees, and international students. Your work will be supervised by the Associate Director, Policy Advocacy You can expect to build skills and work experience in policy advocacy, strategy development, and stakeholder management in an organization committed to learning, and incorporating justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) into our practice.  

We are currently accepting applications for the fall period (August - December 2024).

What We Offer:

• A chance to work with passionate and mission-driven leaders.
• Opportunities to put theory from the classroom into practice at work.
• Friendly colleagues and lots of networking opportunities
• Training and development opportunities including access to LinkedIn Learning and customized learning plans
• Competitive compensation: $24 an hour

Description:

The Strategy, Policy, Research Unit is currently working on three areas relevant to newcomers.  I) International Students; II) Internationally Educated Healthcare Workers; and III) Skilled Trades.

The intern will support the team with current and new research projects, policy analysis, and the development of strategic recommendations to relevant stakeholders, advancing equitable labour market outcomes and social integration of immigrants into Canada’s social fabric.

We encourage prospective interns to learn more about WES Canada’s social impact activities, including work with partners, research and policy advocacy, and philanthropy.  

Duties included but not limited to:

Administrative Support

• Provide administrative support as needed in drafting communications such as emails, PowerPoint decks, infographics, and agendas for key stakeholder meetings.
• Assist in logistics management of internal and external meetings and interviews with select allies and stakeholders; maintain requisite documentation and follow up items.

Policy Analysis

• Support the development of policy-related materials for a range of audiences: reports, position papers, briefing notes, submissions, talking points, infographics, blogs, and other materials.

Data and Research Collection

• Assist team members with discrete research tasks on projects such as the World Health Organization's Ethical recruitment code for healthcare workers; information sources and higher education recruitment systems directed at international students; and policy initiatives designed to improve the integration of Internationally Educated Health Professionals (IEHPs) into the healthcare sector.
• Aid in data collection through primary (e.g. surveys, interviews) and secondary (e.g. literature reviews) sources, extracting and compiling relevant information from documents, data and statistical analysis, research writing, summary
• Assist with the development of presentations.

The Ideal Candidate will:

• Have a commitment to advancing the economic inclusion of immigrants, refugees and international students and a strong commitment to WES’ mission.
• Have a strong understanding and/or experience of issues relating to immigration.
• Be an action-oriented person who is a self-starter and can work independently, as well as in a team.
• Have a deep-rooted intellectual curiosity and openness to diverse ideas and perspectives.
• Thrive in an environment that values transparency, collaboration, and an orientation for results.
• Build collaborative working relationships with colleagues and external partners.
• Have strong time management skills and work ethic; able to effectively manage several tasks and meet collaboratively set deadlines.
• Asset: Exposure to international students, healthcare workers or skilled trades

Requirements:

• Current student enrolled in master's level educational program in a relevant field of study
• Competent with basic data analysis, tabulation, and graphing
• Strong research and writing competencies
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Teams, Word, PowerPoint, Excel etc.); comfortable preparing presentations.

Asset:

Brings lived experience as a first-generation immigrant, refugee youth, or international student. 

Working Conditions:

The intern will work remotely alongside WES staff (located across Canada and the U.S.) who are also working remotely. This internship is open to candidates from British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario, or Nova Scotia. Interns who are based near our Toronto Office can enjoy the flexibility of working in the office or at home. WES’ Toronto office has a shared, open office environment with break-out and meeting rooms and light to moderate noise.

Application Process:

• Please submit a resume and a cover letter indicating your strengths for this internship. In addition, explain how this internship can contribute to your career goals.  (maximum 1 page each), in MS Word or PDF format. 

Diversity Equity and Inclusion Statement:

WES values diversity in all its forms and recruits qualified individuals at all occupational levels that reflect the diversity of our clients and our community. We strive to foster a workplace in which all individuals maximize their potential, regardless of their differences. We are committed to providing accommodations for persons with disabilities. If you require accommodation to complete this application, we will work with you to meet your needs. Please contact Human Resources at weshr@wes.org. Accommodation will be provided at all stages of the hiring process.